Deseret News | Security funds unspent

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Security funds unspent

Utah has used less than half of its homeland $$

By Bob Bernick Jr. and Josh Loftin
Deseret Morning News

Published: Thursday, June 23, 2005 10:47 a.m. MDT

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The state Agriculture Department spent 97 percent of its money last year, most of it — $102,435 — on laboratory equipment for its Logan and Nephi facilities.

The Department of Public Safety's Bureau of Criminal Identification was allocated $88,441 last year but didn't spend a dime of it. That money will likely be spent later, said Hamlet, if not by BCI then reallocated to another state agency.

The state's Department of Public Safety spent $400,000 on weapons of mass destruction training programs and $1.2 million on WMD exercises. The grants can pay for overtime for people being trained after hours and/or salaries to bring in extra workers to cover for those out on training.

The St. George Fire Department made one of the single largest purchases, $452,000 for a "heavy rescue vehicle."

Salt Lake County's United Fire District bought a single hazmat vehicle for $223,000. Emery County spent $200,000 on its hazmat truck.

Bluffdale bought a "weapons of mass destruction" command vehicle for $50,000.

A number of counties and individual agencies spent cash on "mobile command" vehicles, ranging from $30,000 to nearly $75,000 per truck. Hazmat trucks cost upward of $250,000 each, and most of the seven Homeland Security regions bought one.

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In total, 36 expensive vehicles were purchased last year costing $2.7 million.

The state's Department of Public Safety bought a "side scan sonar dive boat" for $65,000.

Shopping list

The purchase list also shows:

Clearfield city spent $10,600 on one thermal imaging camera.

Weber County law enforcement bought three helmet cameras for $42,000.

West Jordan bought a $32,000 fiber optic search camera.

The Tooele County Sheriff's Office spent $17,000 on five pairs of night vision goggles.

Midvale bought 35 gas masks at $4,300.

The Morgan County Search and Rescue unit bought scuba gear, more than $27,000 worth.

Clearfield bought "four backless stools" for $300; South Jordan bought 30 folding chairs for $1,320. (Hamlet guesses the chairs are to allow quarantined residents to sit while waiting out their "decontamination" in specialized tents.)

West Jordan police bought 108 pairs of binoculars for $5,300.

Weber County Hazmat group bought 10 "spotting scopes" for $10,000.

Logan spent $1,000 on a TV/VCR/CD player.

Alta (population 370) bought one dose of dopamine for $2.

Alta, which during the ski season hosts thousands of visitors a day, spent $109,000 last year in Homeland Security funds, including buying five PDAs for $2,500 and a "specialized response snowmobile" for $7,500.

Park City bought six computer work stations for $40,000.

The Summit County Sheriff's Office bought a color printer for $5,799 and a four-wheel drive ATV for $5,275.